A Matter Of Time
by LiveYoungDieFast
Summary: Santana Lopez accidently sends herself back in time and meets housewife in waiting Rachel Berry.
1. Chapter 1

**A Matter Of Time**

**By LiveYoungDieFast**

Disclaimer: I don't own glee or this plot, that belongs to Beebeeborez.

* * *

_17th February 2013_

Rachel watches out of the window as a van parks across the street. A young girl gets out and opens the side door and brings out a large bouquet of flowers. She closes the van door and makes her way up to Rachel's neighbor's house.

It had been a long time since someone had bought Rachel flowers. She had met her husband in high school at the age of sixteen. He was everything that she was told she wanted in a man. He was good looking, caring and the quarterback of the high school football team.

She was the head cheerleader and was cheering at a game when he approached her afterwards and asked her to celebrate the Titans' win with him at the diner.  
Pete's diner was the local hang out for the kids of McKinley High School and she often spent time there with her best friends and of course it was the place she spent on many dates with her late husband.

When they graduated high school Rachel had been hoping to leave Ohio for good. Her dream was to go to New York, but Finn had received a football scholarship to Ohio State University and Rachel was to follow him. Thankfully for the couple a few days after Finn, Rachel received her own acceptance letter to Ohio State.

They got married the year they finished college and moved back to Lima, into a small but elegant house complete with a white picket fence. It was the type of house Rachel had always dreamed of even if she was living the life she hadn't.

She had taken the first job she could find; a job as a receptionist at McKinley High School. She had spent years dreaming about leaving that school and this state yet there she was a few years later back in the same place she never wanted to see again.

Nothing came from Finn's football scholarship when he graduated from Ohio State so instead he enlisted into the Marines. He had always wanted to join the armed forces, since his father was killed in the Second World War and since he didn't have the football career he expected, he saw it as an admirable second choice.

Rachel was proud of Finn's bravery but since he was a marine it meant that he spent most of his time away from her. The only chance they got to see each other was when Finn had shore leave a couple of times a year.

It was in March of nineteen sixty five when Finn's unit was finally drafted into the war in South Vietnam. It was only a couple of months later when Rachel received the news of Finn's death.

Rachel easily slipped into the role of a widow since she had spent the last few years without Finn. It took some time for her to deal with his death but she was around other women who had been through the same tragedy and understood what she was going through.

While she was in her grieving period she busied herself with a position at the department of veteran affairs. It wasn't the easiest of jobs seeing the soldiers return from the war and back to their families. She should have been happy for them, but she never got to experience that, her solider never returned home.

After it all became too much, she found herself another receptionist job at an insurance company. She had accepted long ago that she was destined to sit behind a reception desk and that's what she did until she retired.

Rachel watched with envy as Mrs. Parkinson receives her flowers, a look of joy spreading across her face. Rachel and Finn never had any children and she never remarried so she had spent the past few years alone and she knows that the next few years would be exactly the same.

* * *

It was a little after eleven when Santana slips on her shoes and exits her bedroom. She walks through the living room and grabs her keys from the bowl that sits on the side table.  
Santana has been living by herself for the last year ever since her parents died. It was during her senior year when she was called out of school, she had no idea what had happened all she was told was that her parents had been in an accident.

It was already too late by the time she got to the hospital, her parents were already gone. They were taken from her by a drunk driver that drove straight through a red light and into the side of her father's car.  
It wasn't even one o'clock in the afternoon and the guy was drunk, he made the choice to drive in that state and that decision cost Santana her parents. He was arrested and was sent to jail and as far as the state was concerned justice had been served.  
Santana on the other hand thought differently. She knew the man would only serve half of the amount of time he was sentenced to. How was that fair? That man had taken not one but both of her parents away from her. In Santana's opinion he should never see the light of day again. It still didn't matter because no amount of justice would bring her parents back.

When her parents died so did a part of Santana, she started to change and acted out during school. She would get into trouble and stopped caring about everything. She even pushed her friends away wanting to deal with her grief on her own.

She barely got through high school just scraping by to graduate. She didn't apply for college instead she went out and found herself a job at a local club. It might not be the best job but it paid the bills and Santana loved it.

She had the night off tonight so she would do what she usually does on her day off and just hang out the club.

Santana knew there would be plenty of girls there, it was a lesbian bar after all and most of the girls that went there regularly, knew who Santana was. She would have no problem in finding a girl for tonight.

Santana enters the club and takes a seat at the bar. Jenny a fellow bartender greets her by silently placing a beer in front of her.

She knows the routine.

Santana picks up the bottle and studies it for a moment. Alcohol, the thing that single handedly destroyed Santana's life. She takes a sip of the cold liquid, she doesn't actually drink that much. She would find a girl and convince her to go home with her before she's even finished the first bottle.

She surveys the dance floor for a potential girl to go home with but her eyes are drawn to a girl that is walking towards her. The girl stops next to her at the bar, waiting patiently for someone to serve her.

"Can I buy you a drink?" Santana asks.

"Sure. I'll have a vodka tonic."

Santana smirks as she flags down Jenny. She's got the girl hooked all she has to do now is reel her in.

"What's your name?" Santana asks.

"Claire."

"So Claire, I haven't seen you around here before" Santana says.

"You come here often, do you?"

"I work here and I would definitely remember seeing a girl as beautiful as you."

She knows it's a cliché thing to say, but by the blush on the other girls cheeks she knows it's working.

"You're right this is my first time here. I'm visiting a friend for a few days" Claire answers.

"Where is your friend?"

"She's over there dancing with her girlfriend" Claire replies pointing over to the dance floor.

"Well since they're preoccupied, how about I keep you company" Santana smirks.

* * *

The next morning it's the same routine as usual. She untangles herself from the sheets trying not to wake up whatever the hell her name was and searches for her clothes. As soon as she locates each item of clothing she quickly dresses and heads for the door.

Santana was glad that the girl was just visiting Lima and didn't actually live here. It was much easier sneaking out of a hotel room rather than a girl's house, plus it minimized the chances of them ever crossing paths again.

The hotel isn't that far from her apartment, it's only a couple of blocks so she decides to walk home. As she reaches her apartment door, she notices that her next door neighbor's door is slightly ajar. She slowly makes her way over to the door and slowly pushes it open.

"Hello" she calls but she receives no reply.

She enters the apartment which is lit by a single light bulb giving the room a warm, orange glow. She slowly walks into the apartment and calls out again but once more she's met with no reply.

She decides to check all of the rooms just in case, she knew that her neighbor was in a wheelchair and was slightly worried that something is wrong with the old man. There was no sign of him in the kitchen, bathroom or the room that looked to be his bedroom and she only had one room left to check.

Santana opens the door of what she assumes is the second bedroom, what it actually is she doesn't know. The room is dark, the only light being supplied by a light stream of sunlight shining through a small window.

There are large desks pushed against each wall and another one situated in the middle of the room. Each one of them is topped with some form of electrical equipment and tools.

She has never seen anything like it before, there were machines and little devices she couldn't even name let alone could tell what they did, everywhere.

She picks up one of the little inventions and studies it. It's about the size of a large match box and has a small screen at the top with four buttons underneath. She couldn't figure out what the little machine was so she places it back on the desk. As she continues her search of each desk she accidently knocks an alarm clock on the floor causing it to start beeping.

She picks up the alarm clock and studies it, the time was wrong. It was only eleven in the morning but the clock was showing seven fifty four at night. She presses a button to try and turn off the machine but doesn't notice when it only changes the clock to five to seven.

She tries the button again causing the minute on the clock increases again. This time Santana notices the numbers flashing 19:56 as the beeping continues so she tries another button. She presses the large rectangular button this time and thankfully the beeping stops.

The machine starts vibrating violently in Santana's hand and the room starts to look like it's spinning. She feels a pressure in her chest before she falls to the floor and everything turns to black.

When she slowly opens her eyes she shuts them again quickly because of the strong sun light shining down on her. She groans and rubs her eyes cursing herself for leaving her drapes open again but then it hits her, she wasn't in her apartment. The last thing she remembers was being in old man Abrams' apartment which she distinctly remembers being dark.

She sits up and opens her eyes again, this time shielding them from the sun. She takes a look around her and realizes she's in the middle of a park. The place looks oddly familiar to her, but she just can't place it.

She finally gets to her feet and spots a couple of people in the park. There is either a  
production of Grease happening at the Lima Community Theatre or they have a very bad sense of fashion.

As Santana walks through the parks she notices that there were a lot of other people dressed in vintage clothes. It's only when she makes it out onto the street that she notices the old cars.

She wonders if she has somehow stumbled onto a movie set but then what kind of crappy movie would be filmed in Lima, Ohio. She walks further down the street and notices a deli across the road.

It's the same deli that sits across the road from her apartment. It's definitely the same one because it was famous for being one of the oldest places in Lima. It had been run by the same family for over sixty years but it looked different. The old battered sign she remembers looks brand new.

She sees a newspaper boy standing on the corner and makes her way over to him. She snatches a paper from him, terrifying the boy. She looks at the paper, the headline is something about President Eisenhower, but she skips past it and looks straight at the date.

17th February 1956.

* * *

_A/N This story is written for Beebeeborez who sent me the plotline and asked me to write it for her. So this is her idea and together we expanded on it and created this story. Also thank you to her for all the time she spends going over the chapters and editing them. We wanted to post the first chapter just to test the water and to see what you think._

_Live_Young._


	2. Chapter 2

**A Matter Of Time**

**Chapter 2**

* * *

She thinks that maybe it's a mistake, maybe the Lima News had accidently printed the wrong year on their paper. That might be plausible if they had printed it a year or so out of date but not fifty seven years.

She throws the paper back at the paperboy and grabs her cell phone from her pocket. She's not sure who she's going to call, but it didn't matter as she has no signal.

"Of course there's no signal I'm in the fucking fifties" she mummers to herself.

Santana was beginning to get frustrated. She doesn't understand how this has happened. The last thing she remembers was being in Abrams' apartment and looking at his gadgets.

She accidently knocked the alarm clock on the floor, it was flashing and beeping but she managed to get it to stop, then the room started spinning and she blacked out.

That's when she realizes the clock was flashing a time, four minutes to eight or in other words nineteen fifty six. She remembers having the clock in her hand before she woke up but she no longer has it.

She makes the quick decision to run back to the park to search for the clock. It might not be there, she could have lost it during however the hell she managed to travel here.

It takes her a while before she finds the spot she woke up in and there on the grass was the alarm clock. She picks it up and studies it. The lights are no longer on and there is a large crack down the side.

She knows that this is her only way back and there is only one person who can help her; old man Abrams.

She figures he must be about her age maybe younger and the best place to look first was McKinley High School. She knows that it existed in this time; there were enough reminders in the school that showed McKinley's glory days in the fifties.

They had high test results and a championship winning football team. A lot of things had changed since then; you'd be lucky if the footballers she went to school with had their cleats on the right feet.

The high school still looked the same from the outside. She hadn't step foot in the place since she graduated a year ago and hoped the layout hadn't changed too much since then.

It felt eerie as Santana walked down the hallways of McKinley High. As she turns the corner she collides into another body, causing the other person to drop what they were carrying.

"Excuse me, I do apologize" the girl says bending down to get her books.

Santana bends down too and helps gather some of the girl's books.

"You don't look familiar. Are you new here?"

"No, I'm just looking for someone" Santana replies.

"Then maybe I can assist you. Who are you looking for?"

Santana didn't know how to answer. She only referred to her neighbour as old man Abrams even though he had introduced himself to her a couple of times. She was sure it began with an A.

Aaron. No.

Alan. No.

Arthur. That was it.

"Arthur. Arthur Abrams" Santana says.

"Oh you mean Artie, I have homeroom with him. I'm on my way there now, I can take you there if you'd like" the girl offers.

"Thanks."

"You're very welcome. I'm Rachel Berry by the way."

"Santana."

"So how do you know Artie?" Rachel asks.

"He's an old friend of mine."

"Here we are" Rachel says stopping outside of a classroom.

She wasn't sure how to ask Rachel which one Artie was, since she did say that she was an old friend of his but luckily she recognized him immediately. Santana didn't know a lot about her next door neighbor, all she knew was his name and that he was in a wheelchair.

She never knew that he had been in that chair since high school, but there he was sitting in his chair at the back of the classroom.

Santana thanks Rachel, enters the classroom and makes her way over to the back of the room.

"Artie" she says causing the boy to look up.

"Can I help you?"

"I need to talk to you in private."

"I don't think that's a good idea, I don't know who you are" Artie says.

"I'll explain everything I promise."

"What about my classes?" Artie asks.

Instead of giving him an answer she grabs the handles of his chair and pushes out of the classroom and into the hall. She pushes him into where she remembered the choir room to be and is thankful to find that it's empty.

"Okay so now that we're alone are you going to tell me who you are?" Artie asks.

"My name is Santana Lopez and I'm your next door neighbor in the year twenty thirteen."

"Very funny. If you're here just to make fun of me then I'm leaving."

"I'm serious, look."

Santana pulls out her wallet out of her pocket and hands Artie her driver's license.

"And if that doesn't convince you, what about this?"

"What is it?"

"It's a cell phone."

"This is a phone?" Artie asks inspecting the small object.

"How does it work without any wires?"

"It's something to do with satellites but enough about the fucking phone" Santana says snatching the device out of the boy's hand.

"I need your help. You need to get me back to my time."

"How am I supposed to do that?"

"With this" Santana says handing him the alarm clock.

"What is it?"

"How the hell should I know? You created it."

"I created this?" Artie asks holding up the object.

"Okay, you need to stop with all the questions and start fixing that."

"I don't know how?"

"What do you mean you don't know how? Please just take a look at it." Santana begs.

"Fine, I'll have a look when I get home, but now I need to get to class."

"What am I supposed to do whilst I wait? I have nothing here."

"Take a look around, Lima can't be that different in fifty years. I'll meet you at Pete's diner at lunch" Artie says.

Artie was right Lima hadn't changed much in the last fifty years. She finds Pete's diner easily, it's the same place as Breadstix is in her time.

She takes a seat in one of the booths and orders a coca cola at least there was one thing from the future she can still enjoy. After about an hour of just sitting there and nursing her coke she decides to order some food.

When Artie finally shows up to the diner he makes his way over to where Santana was sitting.

"So what's the verdict Einstein?" Santana asks.

"I might be able to fix it but it's going to take time" Artie replies.

"How much time?"

"I don't know it could be weeks or it could be longer."

"So you're saying I'm stuck here?"

"I'm sorry. I don't know what else to say."

"How the hell am I supposed to live in nineteen fifty six? I have nowhere to live and I don't have any money" Santana says.

"Don't worry, I'll help you out. I'll talk to my grandmother and see if you can stay in the spare room."

"Why would you do that? We've only just met."

"You said you were my neighbor in the future, so we must know each other right?" Artie asks.

Santana didn't want to explain that they didn't really know each other and only spoke when Artie banged on her door to tell her to keep the noise down.

"Sure" she replies.

"I'll take you there now. It's only around the corner" Artie offers.

It only takes them five minutes to reach Artie's house and when they enter an old woman appears with a worried look on her face.

"Artie, what are you doing home? Is everything okay?" she asks.

"I'm fine Grandma. I just came home to talk to you about something" Artie replies.

"This is my friend Santana. She has nowhere to stay and I was wondering if it was okay for her to stay here for a while."

"It's nice to meet you Santana. Do you go to school with Artie?" Rose asks.

"No, I graduated from McKinley last year."

"If you're from Lima then where are your parents?"

"They died last year. They were in a car accident caused by a drunk driver" Santana explains.

"Say no more dear. I know the pain of losing someone in such a way. My daughter, Artie's mother, was taken under similar circumstances."

"It's how I got in the chair" Artie adds.

"You are welcome to stay here Santana, for as long as you need."

"Thank you Mrs. -"

"You can call me Rose. Now how about I show you to the guest room since Artie needs to get back to school" Rose smiles.

"I'll see you later Santana."

"Thanks Artie, for everything" Santana says.

"Do you want to get your bags and I'll take you upstairs?" Rose asks.

"I don't have any bags."

"So you have no belongings?"

"No I don't, they kind of got left behind" Santana explains.

"Do you have any money?" Rose asks.

"I have a couple of bucks."

"That won't do. I will lend you some money and you can go to the mall and get what you need."

"I can't take your money Rose. I have no way to pay you back" Santana says.

"What about a job? My friend Peter owns a diner. I am sure he will give you a job without a problem. I will talk to him tomorrow if you like?"

"That would be great. Thanks Rose."

"No problem dear. I am sure I can find you something to sleep in for tonight. Come on, I will show you to your room."

Santana follows Rose up the stairs and into a small bedroom. It's decorated with powder blue walls and pink bed linens or in other words Santana's nightmare.

"I apologize for it being so small" Rose says.

"It's perfect. Thank you Rose."

"I will leave you to get settled" Rose smiles before leaving the room.

Santana takes a seat on the bed. It's the first time she actually had the chance to think about what has just happened. This morning she arrived home after a spending the night with a random girl and now she was stuck in the nineteen fifties living in her old next door neighbor's grandmother's house.

This was so fucked up.

* * *

The next morning found Santana sat around the kitchen table eating breakfast with Artie and Rose. After breakfast had been cleared away Rose places a white envelope on the table in front of Santana.

"What's this?" Santana asks picking up the envelope.

"Just a little something" Rose replies.

Santana opens the envelopes and finds it filled with fifty dollars.

"Thanks Rose, but I told you I can't accept your money."

"And I told you that you can pay me back. I spoke to Pete and he said he might be able to give you a job at the diner. You just have to go in and see him and as long as he likes you then the job is yours."

"Thanks Rose. I promise to pay you back as soon as I can."

"Don't worry about it dear. Just make sure you get yourself some clothes to wear. Artie, are you ready to go to school?" Rose asks.

"Yes, I just need to get my bag" Artie replies.

"I'll walk with you" Santana offers.

"So how's it going with your tiny time machine?" Santana asks.

"I had a quick look at it but you have to remember the tools I used to make it the first time probably haven't ben invented yet."

"I'm sure you'll work something out."

"You sure have a lot of faith in me."

"I don't have anyone else to put my trust in besides you. You did it once, I'm sure you can do it again" Santana says.

"Thanks. So what are you going to do today?" Artie asks.

"I'm going to go to the mall and grab some clothes and then I'm going to go to the diner and talk to Pete."

"Okay so I'll see you later?" Artie asks.

"I have nothing else to do."

It was easy for Santana to find the mall and like everything else she'd come across in Lima it looked exactly the same. It took her a while to find something acceptable to wear between the poodle skirts and the different varieties of shirts and dresses.

She managed to find underwear, two pairs of jeans and a couple of plain t-shirts and shirts. She was surprised at how much it all cost, at least there was one advantage to living in the fifties.

She still had her favorite jacket on and a pair of converse so she didn't bother buying any new shoes for the moment. She was still hoping she wouldn't be here for that long but if she was, she could always buy more things later on.

After she puts away her new clothes in her closet she heads over to the school. It's frustrating knowing she can't just contact Artie on a cell phone and instead she has to walk around the school looking for him.

"Fuck me it's like I've landed right in the middle of Grease" Santana mumbles to herself as she walks the school.

It's another ten minutes before she arrives at the cafeteria. She scans the room and easily spots Artie sitting with some friends at a table. She immediately walks over to him and sits down.

"Hello Santana" Artie greets.

"Hey Artie. Listen is there anyone at your school that can get me a fake id?" Santana asks quietly.

"Why do you need a fake id? I'm not going to help you do something if you're legally underage to do it."

"I don't need it because I'm underage. I need it because my driver's license says I was born thirty eight years in the future. I want it to have the same information I just need my year of birth changed."

"There's a guy at school called Puck, he might be able to help you out."

"Puck?"

"Noah Puckerman, you'll probably find him hanging around the bleachers."

"Wait, you're not going to take me to him?"

"He'd never talk to me besides I have to go to chess club."

"Okay fine. I'll see you later then" Santana says standing from the table.

Santana makes her way outside. There were jocks and cheerleaders practicing on the football field and there were a couple of geeks sitting at a table in the shade playing chess, but that's not who she was looking for. She makes her way behind the bleachers and finds a group of guys in leather jackets smoking.

One of the guys who has a Mohawk, that he's styled into a quiff, turns around and looks at her.

"Are you Puckerman?"

"For you? I'll be whoever you want me to be."

"Well I need Noah Puckerman, so if you're not him I guess I'll just leave."

"Wait up babe. I am Puck so it's all good."

"Call me babe again and next time you won't be able to remember your own name" Santana warns him.

"So what can I do for you?" Puck asks.

"I need a driver's license. I heard you might be able to help me out."

"If I get you a license what are you going to give me?"

"Two bucks" Santana replies remembering what Artie taught her about money having a different value in this time.

"Five."

"Two and I'll let you keep your balls" Santana says.

"Two it is."

"This is the information that I want on it" Santana says handing Puck a piece of paper.

"I might not be the best at math, but even I know that this doesn't make you twenty one."

"I'm not paying you to ask questions. Just get me the license" Santana demands.

"No problem, Santana Lopez. It'll be at least a week."

"Don't worry I'll be around. I'm staying with Artie Abrams."

"Are you talking about the wheelchair kid?" Puck asks.

"You better watch what you say about him. Artie's my friend."

"Fine, I'll let him know when it's ready" Puck replies discreetly covering his private area with his hands, just in case he had angered the girl enough to follow through on her threat.

"See you later, Puckerman."

Santana stops when she sees the group of cheerleaders practicing on the football field. If the fifties were missing anything it was the short, tight cheerleading uniforms.


	3. Chapter 3

**A Matter Of Time**

**Chapter 3**

Santana is slightly nervous as she enters Pete's diner. She had been through countless of job interviews but has only been successful once when she got her job at the bar. Usually she couldn't give a fuck about the rejection but this might be her only shot to get a job whilst she was stuck here and Rose had gone to a lot of trouble to get her this far.

"I'm Santana, I'm looking for Pete" she says to the boy behind the counter.

"He's in the back, one second."

The boy walks over to a door behind the counter and pushes it open with his hand.

"Pete there's someone here to see you" he yells.

A few moments later a large man appears wearing white pants, a white shirt with a red bow and a white apron. His grey hair was covered by a typical diner hat and he reminded Santana of Al from Happy Days.

"Ah, you must be Santana. Rose told me all about you and yes it was all good things" Pete chuckles.

"It's nice to meet you Pete."

"Come and sit down and we can have a little talk. Can I get you some coffee first?"

"Sure."

Pete grabs two mugs and pours steaming coffee into each of them before showing Santana over to a booth.

"So Rose tells me you're looking for a job. She told me that you're Artie's friend."

"Yes I am. I've been going through a bad time recently and Artie has helped me out, both he and Rose have been great to me."

"I have known Rose for a long time, she's a charming woman and that grandson of hers is a good boy. It was a shame about his mother, she used to waitress here when she was in high school. She was such a lovely girl, Artie takes after her a lot."

Pete smiles but Santana can sense the sadness behind his eyes. It takes him a few seconds before he continues.

"So I suppose I should start asking you questions but don't worry it's not formal. Do you have any experience working in a diner?" he asks.

"I have never worked in a diner before but I have worked in a bar, so I have excellent customer service skills."

"I must inform you that this is the regular hang out for the kids from McKinley, so it can get a bit rowdy at times. You think you can handle that?"

"Yes sir. If working in a bar has taught me anything it's how to deal with rowdy customers" Santana replies earning a chuckle from Pete.

"You don't have to be so formal Santana. You're going have to get used to calling me Pete if you're going to work here."

"Does that mean you're giving me the job?"

"It's your if you want it. I always trust Rose's instinct but I just wanted to meet you just to be sure but I like you Santana. You can start tomorrow, any tips go into the jar and we share them out equally when you get paid at the end of the week. Do you have anything you want to ask me?" Pete asks.

"No but I do want to thank you for trusting in me. I won't let you down boss"

"I'm sure you won't kid" Pete chuckles.

"I'll see you tomorrow at nine, I'll ease you in at first and then we'll fit you into the rota properly. I'll also have your uniform ready."

The idea of a uniform had not even crossed Santana's mind until now. She was in the diner yesterday and couldn't remember the outfit the waitress was wearing. She quickly scans the room quickly to see if she can spot a waitress but other than the guy she talked to before, she couldn't see one.

It looks like she'll just have to wait until tomorrow to find out what possible monstrosity she'll be wearing.

"Thanks Pete. I'll see you tomorrow" Santana says holding out her hand for Pete to shake.

"I look forward to it kid" Pete laughs taking Santana's hand with his larger one.

Santana exits the diner and checks her watch. She still has a few hours before dinner so she decides to take a walk around Lima and finds herself standing outside of her parent's house.

The house looks the same, there are a few minor differences but other than that it was still her parent's house. The porch swing she had spent hours swinging on with her mother when she was younger was still there.

"Excuse me, can I help you?"

Santana turns around and fins the short brunette she ran into this morning standing in front of her.

"It's Santana right?"

"Yeah."

"Well Santana, may I ask why you are standing outside of my house?"

"I thought someone I knew lived here. I must have got the wrong address. I'm sorry, I should leave."

"You don't have to. You can come in if you like" Rachel offers.

Santana didn't have anywhere else to go other than back to Artie's house and she really wanted to see inside of the house again. It has been over a year since she last set foot in that house. After her parents died she only stayed in the house for a week before she decided to move out.

She couldn't stand being in that house without them there. It was too quiet and every time she entered a room memories would come flooding back, then it would suddenly hit her that they were gone and that they were never coming back.

"That sounds great thanks" Santana says.

She follows Rachel into the house. The interior fundamentals were the same but other than that it looked completely different. The decoration was old fashioned although technically it would be counted as modern in this time.

"I hope you don't mind if I bake whilst you're here. We are having a bake sale at school tomorrow and I'm in charge of cookies" Rachel says pulling Santana out of her thoughts.

"Sure. What's the bake sale for?" Santana asks following Rachel into the kitchen.

"I do one every month to raise funds for the school. I have to quickly get changed out of my uniform but can I get you a drink whilst you wait?"

"I'll have a water, thanks."

It only takes a few moments before a glass of water with ice and a slice of lemon is placed in front of Santana.

"I won't be a moment" Rachel says before leaving the room.

Santana sits in silence as she looks around the room, taking everything in. This room hadn't changed as much it's the same original kitchen she grew up in.

It's like being in a memory. She can see her mother at the stove cooking pancakes as her father walks in carrying the newspaper. He kisses Maribel on the cheek and steals a strawberry from the bowl next to the pancake batter as Maribel tries to swat his hand away.

"I apologise for leaving you alone and being an inattentive host" Rachel says as she re-enters the kitchen.

"It's not your fault. You didn't invite me here, I just showed up on your doorstep."

"Still I invited you into my home so I should treat you as a guest."

"I'm surprised you didn't yell at me or threaten to call the police" Santana admits.

"Why would I do that?" Rachel asks as she slips and apron on over her dress.

"Because there was a stranger hanging around your property."

Santana was surprised that Rachel was generally confused as to why she would call the police.

She had noticed when she was walking down the street that a couple of houses had their doors wide open without fear. It was completely different from twenty thirteen where Santana's apartment door had at least two locks and a chain for security.

"Then I would try to assist them. I wouldn't call the police."

"So what kind of cookies are you making?" Santana asks trying to change the subject.

"Chocolate chip and oatmeal and raisin" Rachel smiles.

"So are you going to be the next Martha Stewart or something?"

"Who?"

"I meant is this what you want to do when you graduate high school?"

"Oh no, cooking isn't my dream it's just a hobby of mine" Rachel replies.

"So what is your dream?" Santana asks.

"I don't have one."

"Come on. If you had a chance to do one thing that you really wanted to do, what would it be?"

"I want to sing on Broadway" Rachel admits.

"My parents took me to New York to see My Fair Lady. I sat there watching Julie Andrews as  
Eliza Doolittle and I just knew that's what I wanted to do."

"So how do you go about getting a career on Broadway?"

"There are colleges you can apply for. There are a couple in New York that cater for the dramatic arts."

"So is that where you've applied to, schools in New York?" Santana asks.

"I haven't applied to anywhere yet, I'm waiting for Finn."

"Who's Finn?"

"He's my boyfriend" Rachel replies with a smile.

"So why are you waiting for Finn before you choose your college?"

"He's waiting for the recruiters to offer him a football scholarship and then I'll know which colleges to apply for."

"Why does it matter where he's going? If you want to be on Broadway then apply in New York."

"I can't I have to wait and see where Finn is applying" Rachel insists.

"Why?"

"Because eventually after college he and I will get married and will raise a family together, we can't do that in separate states."

"So instead of being a Broadway star you'll become a fucking stepford wife instead?"

"I don't know what that means and that type of language is unwanted. You and I have just met so I don't know why you think you should have an opinion of my life" Rachel states.

"I just hate to see someone ignoring their dreams because their lives have already been mapped out by somebody else."

"If that's so then what are your dreams?" Rachel asks.

"I don't have any."

"Everybody has a dream. I even shared mine with you so it's only fair that you do the same."  
"I told you, I don't have a dream."

"So what do you do now? Are you in college?" Rachel asks.

"I decided to skip college and got a job at a bar."

"What did your parents say about that?"

"Nothing, they're dead" Santana says.

"I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for? You didn't kill them, some drunken asshole did."

"I just meant that I was sorry for your loss" Rachel says.

"I know and I'm sorry, I shouldn't have reacted like that."

"So do you enjoy working at the bar?"

"Yeah, well I did. I don't work there anymore, I work at Pete's diner now" Santana replies.

"You work at Pete's? We got there all the time and I've never seen you before."

"I just got the job less than an hour ago. So if you go to Pete's all the time that means we're going to see each other a lot."

"So it seems. Would you like to help me bake the cookies?" Rachel asks.

"I'm not really good in the kitchen. My talents lay in a different room of the house."

"I could teach you, it's very easy once you know how" Rachel says ignoring Santana's last  
comment but unable to hide the blush on her cheeks.

"Actually I should get going. Artie will be waiting for me."

"I'll show you out."

Rachel walks Santana over to the door and opens it.

"It was nice to meet you again Santana" Rachel says holding her hand out for Santana to take.

"It was really nice meeting you again too" Santana replies letting her hand linger in Rachel's for longer than necessary.

When Santana pulls her hand back she makes sure to brush her fingertips along the soft skin of Rachel's palm.

"I'll see you around Rachel."

* * *

Rachel had just finished her second batch of cookies when her mother enters the kitchen.

"Hey sweetie, what are you doing?" Shelby asks.

"I'm baking cookies for the bake sale tomorrow. I also baked extra for Finn and the football players to wish them good luck for the game."

"I remember doing that for you father, he said I baked the best sugar cookies he's ever tasted. I'll have to teach you how to make them one day so you can make them for your  
children too."

"That sounds great Mom. Maybe you can make me a recipe book with all your recipes in so I can take it when I move out."

"Has Finn heard anything on the scholarship front?" Shelby asks.

"Not yet. A couple of scouts are supposed to be at the game this week, so hopefully we'll know soon."

"Just makes sure you keep your grades up so you can join Finn at the college he chooses."

"Did you want to always want to stay in Ohio?" Rachel asks.

"I met your father in my last year of high school and he already had a life here in Lima. So  
I've never really thought about moving. Why are you asking?"

"I was just thinking about New York. You know that I love musical theatre and I think that  
might be a good career choice for me."

"Honey even if Finn chooses a school in New York which I highly doubt he will, a career in musical theatre just isn't feasible. How do you expect to juggle performing when you have children? You know you don't have to go to college. Finn already said that he would be happy to support you if you want to be a housewife."

"I know he did and I know you love being a housewife but going to college is something I want to do."

"Then in that case you just need to make sure you graduated college with enough qualifications so you can get a nice job that works around your family life. That's all that  
matters."

"Did you not have any dreams that you wanted to pursue when you were my age?" Rachel asks.

"Everyone has dreams and ambitions when they're young but they change and my dreams changed when I met your father. Then all I wanted to do was to marry him and I did that. Where is all of this coming from?"

"Nowhere, I was just curious is all. I love Finn and I can't wait until he asks me to marry him."

"Well hopefully it won't be too long now. Carole and I already have our outfits planned" Shelby laughs.

"I think it's best if we concentrate on graduating high school first."

"I know I get ahead of myself sometimes, It's just you're no longer my little girl. You're becoming a woman before my eyes and soon you'll be married and will be having children of your own and I'll become a grandmother. It's all quite exciting."

"Yes it is" Rachel replies with a forced smile.

She wanted to be excited too but she couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed. She knew that it was unlikely that she would be able to have a career in musical theatre but it hurt to have the idea shut down straight away.

It was her dream, a dream that she has only ever shared with Santana. Santana, the beautiful stranger that had bumped into her in the hallway and then later showed up at her house unannounced.

She hardly knew the other girl yet Santana believed that she could make it to Broadway but when she brings it up with her own mother she gets a definitive no. She felt comfort knowing that one day she could make it if she wanted to but now that comfort had been taken away.

Rachel knew that Santana was right, her life had been mapped out by someone else. There were a few people actually, her parents, Finn and his parents. They all expect Finn to get his football scholarship and for Rachel to follow him wherever he goes.

Rachel knows that she doesn't get a choice of where she wants to go to school. She also knows that she won't have a choice in a lot of things in her life. So she'll keep her dreams of Broadway hidden alongside the other things she desires but knows she can never have.


	4. Chapter 4

**A Matter Of Time**

**Chapter 4**

* * *

It's hideous. It really might be the ugliest thing that Santana has ever seen. She continues to stare at herself in the mirror wearing the waitress uniform. It's a typical diner waitress' dress. It's pink with white trim and comes complete with a small white apron.

She looks fucking stupid and that's not the worst part. The worst part is that she has to wear it all day while she serves coffee and clears away other people's mess. There is no point complaining though, she has to do it if she wants to earn money. It's like her father always used to say "Sometimes we all have to do things we really don't want to do."

She used to hate it when her father said that to her, because it usually meant that she was about to do something that she really didn't want to do.

She takes one last look at herself in the mirror and straightens up her apron. It's time to face the baying crowd.

Santana walks out of the back room and finds Pete standing behind the counter, wiping down the surface. When he notices her he stops what he's doing and sends her a warm smile.

"I know it's pretty quiet now but that's because you just missed the breakfast rush. I wanted you to get used to things before I throw you in at the deep end. We'll have a crowd for lunch and then all the kids will turn up after school. Are you ready to get started?" Pete asks.

"I'm ready for anything."

"I like your confidence kid, we'll see how long it last" Pete laughs.

Pete shows Santana around the diner, explaining everything that she needs to do and once he was happy he let her get on with things whilst he returned to the kitchen.

Santana finishes clearing away a table just as Rachel enters the diner with two friends. She walks over to the booth Rachel is sat at and grabs her pad and pen from her apron pocket.

"Hello Santana" Rachel greets.

"These are my friends Quinn and Brittany. They are on the cheerleading squad with me."

"It's nice to meet you both. I know I'm kind of new to this, but I think I'm supposed to ask you what I can get you" Santana asks causing Rachel to laugh.

"I'll have a strawberry and banana smoothie" Rachel says.

"I'll have the same. What do you want Britt?" Quinn asks.

"I want a banana split."

"You know you're not supposed to eat ice cream before dinner."

"Please Quinn" Brittany pouts.

"How can I say no to that face? Okay fine, Brittany will have a banana split" Quinn says.

Santana jots down the orders on her notepad and sends a smile the girls' way but her eyes linger on one particular girl.

"No problem, I'll be back in a few minutes with your order."

Santana makes her way behind the counter and clips up the order for Pete in the kitchen.

"Check on" she yells.

She had only been working for a couple of hours but she was getting the hang of it pretty quickly. She was actually enjoying it.

When she turns around she finds Noah Puckerman standing on the other side of the counter with a smirk on his face.

"Looking good babe" he says.

"Puckerman you are lucky there is a counter between us otherwise you wouldn't have your balls."

"That's why I love coming here; the great customer service."

"Have you got my licence yet?" Santana asks.

"My guy said it will be a few more days but don't worry, I always deliver" Puck replies with that cocky smile again.

"So is there anything I can get you? I warn you now, be careful of what you say next."

"Don't worry. I'm just waiting for the guys to get here."

"Service" Pete yells through from the kitchen.

"So that's my cue to leave" Santana tells Puck.

"I'll see you around Lopez" Puck says.

Santana picks up the tray and makes her way over to Rachel's table.

"Here you go ladies" Santana says as she places each item in font of each girl.

"Thank you Santana" Rachel smiles.

"If you ladies need anything, anything at all then please let me know." Santana walks away from Rachel and her friends and finds Artie sitting in a booth.

"Hey Santana, I just thought I'd come and see how you were getting on."

"Hey, things are great. Can I get you something?" Santana asks.

"I'll just have a chocolate shake since Gran has dinner planned. You'll be home for dinner right?" Artie asks.

"I should be. I'll be back in a minute with your shake."

When Santana returns, she places the milkshake on the table in front of Artie just a Pete arrives at the table.

"Artie, how are you kid?" Pete asks shaking the young boy's hand.

"I'm fine thank you Pete. I just came to visit Santana on her first day."

"She's been a great help. I'll have to thank that grandmother of yours for getting me another great employee. I just came to let you know that you can go home now Santana. You did great today, keep it up and we'll have no problems."

"Thanks Pete. I'll see you tomorrow" Santana says.

"See you then kid and Artie don't worry about the shake champ, it's on the house. Don't forget to tell Rose I said hello."

"I will. Thank you Pete."

"I'm going to get my stuff from the back and then we can walk home together if you're ready" Santana says.

When Santana returns they make their way over to the exit. Santana opens the door and holds it open for Artie who thanks her.

"So are you settling in after everything that's happened?" Artie asks as they star their walk home.

"Honestly I haven't really had much time to process it all. All I know is that I'm tuck here for god knows how long and I have to find a way to survive."

"Aren't you missing anything or anyone back home?"

"I don't really have anyone to miss. When my parents died I pushed everyone away. My boss at the bar might wonder where I am but other than that I have no family, no girlfriend and no friends to worry about me. What?" Santana asks noticing the look on Artie's face.

"You said you didn't have a girlfriend. I was just surprise you're so open about it. I'm not sure what things are like in the future but you might want to keep that part of your life hidden."

"I've been in the closet once already, I'm not about to go back in."

"I was just warning you Santana that people can be harsh and they will hurt you. I'm just suggesting you keep quiet while you're here for your own safety."

"What about you Artie? Where do you stand with homophobia?" Santana asks.

"I try not to judge and knowing that your different doesn't affect our friendship."

"Different" Santana scoffs.

"I'm sorry if I offended you, but I've never come across someone as open as you are. At least it's nice to know that if you're open that things must be better in the future."

"Things have improved but there are still people out there that disapprove. But hey, haters are gonna hate right?"

"Yeah I know what you mean even though it's different for me. I usually just get stared at or get sent a look of sympathy. Then there are the people that feel sorry for me and sometimes that's worse. I know I'm physically different now but I'm still the same person I was before, being disabled hasn't made me a different person" Artie says.

"Just like me coming out didn't change who I was. I liked girls long before I came out so I don't understand how people think saying out loud somehow made it different."

"It sounds like there's a story there."

"My parents were actually pretty cool when I came out, but unfortunately I can't say the same for my grandmother. The last time I saw her was at my parents' funeral. I tried to talk to her but she didn't want to listen to me. I had just lost both of my parents, the only family that I had apart from her and she didn't want to know" Santana explains.

"I know it doesn't make any difference but she probably grew up in this time, around people with certain views."

"I understand that, I do, but you're not supposed to care if you love someone. People can learn to change, some people change with the times and then there are others that are set in their ways and my Abuela is one of them."

"I'm sorry Santana" Artie says.

"Don't be. Like you said before; we don't like people pitying us."

"You're right."

"So what's Rose making for dinner?" Santana asks changing the subject.

"I think she mentioned something about meatloaf."

"Awesome."

Santana had missed eating family dinner. It was one thing her parents insisted on. No matter what, every day they would all sit around the table together to eat dinner and talk about their day. Santana hated it when she was a teenager. All she wanted to do was hang out with her friends or go to Breadstix, but her parents always insisted that she eat dinner with them.

She used to hate them for it sometimes but the day after they died she sat alone at the dinner table in complete silence wishing for nothing more than to be sitting there with her parents again eating dinner.

It had been over a year since she had eaten proper homemade meals. She did the best she could, but usually she would just stick something in the microwave or order a takeout.

It felt nice to sit around the table and enjoy a family meal again. It was something Santana could get used to.

* * *

Rachel watches as Santana leaves the diner with Artie and smiles as she opens the door for him.

"So who was that?" Quinn asks pulling Rachel out of her thoughts.

"Who?"

"Don't play dumb Rachel, you know exactly who I'm talking about. Who is the hot waitress?"

"Quinn, keep your voice down."

"Relax no one is listening and Britt doesn't mind" Quinn says.

She looks over to Brittany who is too occupied by her banana split to take any notice of what Quinn is saying.

"So who is she?"

"She's a friend of Artie Abrams. I accidently bumped into her at school yesterday" Rachel replies.

"I've never seen her around school before."

"She doesn't go to school, she used to work in a bar but now she works here."

"You know an awful lot about her for someone that just "bumped" into." Quinn says.

"When I arrived home from school yesterday I found her standing outside of my house so I invited her in and we talked."

"Why was she standing outside of your house?"

"She said she thought she knew someone that lived there. She just got the wrong address is all" Rachel replies.

"Maybe she followed you from school."

"Why would she do that?"

"I don't know maybe she likes you. She was looking at you before."

"Quinn don't be silly besides she couldn't have followed me because she was there first and was surprised to see me."

"So what else did the two of you talk about?" Quinn asks.

"It was just generic chit chat. We got to know each other a little bit that's all."

"I bet you want to get to know her."

"Rachel can we go back to your house and watch I love Lucy?" Brittany asks interrupting their conversation which Rachel was thankful for.

"Sure Brittany" Rachel answers.

Quinn grabs a couple of napkins and hands them over to Brittany who begins to clear away the chocolate ice cream off her face.

"Come here Britt, you missed a spot" Quinn says taking the napkin and wiping away the remainder of the chocolate.

"Are you both ready to go?" Rachel asks, slightly irked by the look her friends were giving each other.

"Yes."

When they arrive at the Berry residence they find Shelby in the kitchen.

"Hello Mrs. Berry" Quinn greets.

"Hello girls. Did you have a good day at school?" Shelby asks.

"It was fine Mom. We're going to watch television in the living room" Rachel says.

"I love Lucy is on" Brittany adds.

"Okay, well you girls have fun. I'm going to get started on dinner for when you father gets home. You girls are welcomed to stay."

"Thank you for the offer Mrs. Berry, but I'm having dinner with Brain and his family" Quinn says.

Brian was Quinn's boyfriend. He was the son of Neil Adams, a friend and co-worker of Russell Fabray. Brian was a nice guy but Quinn wasn't attracted to him in any way but she had no choice in the matter. Russell and Neil had set them up so they expected them to marry.

Brittany understood that Quinn was betrothed to another. Quinn had explained it to her in a way she would understand. It was like a movie and Quinn was just playing a part, she had to pretend that she was in love with Brian but it wasn't how she really felt.

Quinn had also explained that Brittany had a part to play too and that one day Brittany would get the chance to play the same part as Quinn. Brittany's parents weren't the same as Quinn's. They didn't push Brittany to find a partner, they knew she was a little bit different to other people and that she would need someone special to look after her and they were willing to wait until the perfect man came along.

Brittany just wished she could tell them that she had found someone special, but as Quinn had told her she had to play her part.

"Yeah thanks Mrs. Berry but I have to go home too" Brittany says.

"Okay girls maybe next time."

"Come on the show is about to start" Rachel says.

They make their way into the living room. Brittany and Quinn take a seat on the couch whilst Rachel walks over to the small television and turns it on. She turns the small dial until she finds the correct channel.

When Rachel turns around to sit on the couch she finds Quinn and Brittany sitting close to each other on the couch. Rachel knows that something is going on between them, it might not be obvious from the outside but it was obvious to Rachel who saw them in moments of solitude like this.

It was never mentioned. It was a strict don't ask, don't tell situation. Rachel could only ever admit it to herself that she was jealous of her friends. She had certain feelings too but she knows that she can never act on them. Just admitting it to herself was bad enough. It wasn't normal to feel like this.

She had always kept these feelings buried. She had been lucky to find Finn. He was perfect for her. He was the quarterback and she was the head cheerleader and she made herself fall for him.

It was easier to bury those feelings whilst she was Finn. Finding him meant that she didn't have to worry about the future. It was all planned out that they would finish college, get married and eventually have children and Rachel could forget about those forbidden feelings.

Then there were the times where she was with Quinn and Brittany and watched how they interact and the feelings would come back mixed with jealously. Rachel doesn't understand how Quinn and Brittany could risk acting on their feelings.

Rachel is terrified that people would find out that she has had certain feelings. She is always careful to make sure that she doesn't let her eyes wander or linger on certain people and recently there was a certain person that had caught Rachel's attention.

Rachel couldn't afford to get effected by Santana. She had to concentrate on her relationship with Finn. She knows she will never make it to Broadway but that didn't matter since she was already playing a role.


	5. Chapter 5

**A Matter Of Time**

**Chapter 5**

It has been a month since Santana's world had been turned upside down and she had ended up in the fifties. Puck had followed through with his promise and Santana had received her license, meaning she finally had some form of identity in this new world.

Artie was still working on the time machine, but hadn't managed to get very far since it was a lot more complicated than he first thought. He tried to explain the problem to Santana, but the only thing she understood was that she was nowhere closer to getting home.

Santana didn't mind that much since she has easily settling into life in this new place. She still has her job at the diner and had managed to pay Rose back the money she lent her. She had more of a life here than she had in the last year in twenty thirteen.

Santana loves working at the diner. Pete was a great boss and she was around people again. She had become a hermit when her parents died and Artie was the first friend she has had since she pushed her old ones away.

Santana had also spent more time with the students of McKinley including a certain group of cheerleaders. The one that had caught Santana attention the most was currently sitting in a booth with her boyfriend.

Santana had met Finn Hudson a couple of times since this was the regular hang out for the high school kids and for some reason she took an instant dislike to him. He might have been a relatively nice guy, but the way he treated Rachel just didn't sit right with Santana.

That was one of the things that frustrated Santana about being stuck in the fifties; she viewed the world differently to everybody else and if she spoke her mind or said something about a certain topic she would always get a strange look.

Rachel had opened up and shared her secret dream with Santana. A dream that saw Rachel light up the stage on Broadway, but she was willing to give all of that up and for what? A life with Finn Hudson.

Santana knows she shouldn't let it bother her but it does. Normally she wouldn't give a fuck about what anyone else did with their life because that was just it; their life, but with Rachel something was different.

* * *

Rachel was sitting around the dining table with her parents and their friends David and Laura Stephenson who were sat to her left and on her right was Richard and Annabel Mitchell.

When she returned home from school she had spent the afternoon helping her mother preparing for the dinner party so she felt more relaxed now the guest were finally here and were sitting around the table.

"So Rachel, your mother tells us that you're thinking of going to college" Laura says.

"Yes I am. Finn thinks he might get a football scholarship to Ohio State so I have filled out an application form so I can attend with him."

"I went to Ohio state they constantly have a great football team. I'm sure Finn will be a great addition. What about you Hiram? Did you play football?" Richard asks.

"I played football in high school and still enjoy watching it from time to time, but boxing is my sport."

"Talking of boxing, I heard that Rocky Marciano is set to retire" David says.

"Marciano was a fine boxer. On September 20, 1955 he fought Archie Moore. Rocky was knocked down for a four count in the second round but he recovered and retained his title with a knockout in round nine."

"It was the twenty first, honey. The bout was originally scheduled for September 20, but because of hurricane warnings, it had to be delayed a day" Shelby says.

"You have quite the sports knowledge Shelby. You put your husband to shame" David laughs.

"I just like to take an interest in my husband's interests is all" Shelby explains.

"Shelby my glass is empty. Would you please get more wine from the kitchen" Hiram says with assertiveness in his voice.

Shelby smiles and excuses herself from the table before making her way into the kitchen.

"So David how is life at the office?" Hiram asks to get the conversation started again.

When Shelby returns with the wine, she refills everyone's glasses and takes her seat at the table. The rest of the dinner party goes smoothly and once everyone finishes Rachel helps her mother clear the table.

They move into the living room and Rachel helps Shelby serve coffee to the Stephenson's and the Mitchell's. Rachel decides to leave the adults to talk alone and goes up stairs to her bedroom.

She had been reading for the past thirty minutes when she heard the front door open and close. She checks the time and sees that it's nearly half past ten so she decides that she'll grab a glass of water before going to bed.

Rachel makes her way downstairs and goes to enter the kitchen but stops in her tracks when she hears raised voices. It was unusual to hear her father raise his voice so she peers around the door.

"How dare you do that to me in front of our friends?" Hiram yells as he raises his hand and strikes Shelby across the face.

The sound of her father hitting her mother makes Rachel jump.

"I'm sorry" Shelby says cradling her cheek.

"Sorry isn't good enough. You undermined me in front of our friends. Do you think I like being emasculated?"

"I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to undermine you."

"Do you think I like my friends thinking you're smarter than me? Because you're not, you would be nothing without me so don't you ever do something like that again or a sore cheek will be the last of your worries. Do you hear me?"

"Yes Hiram."

"Good. Now clean up this mess" Hiram says referring to the dishes.

Rachel quickly backs away from the door and runs upstairs to her bedroom as quietly as she can. She shuts the door behind her and rests her back against it. She had seen her father get angry, but she had never seen him get violent before.

Rachel changes into her nightwear and gets into bed and attempts to sleep but she can't. She just can't get the incident with her parents out of her head.

The reason why her father became angry baffled Rachel; her mother had hardly done anything wrong in her eyes. Sure she had corrected him, but surely that didn't warrant him to hit her. Rachel wonders if this is the first time that her father had been violent with her mother or whether this was the first time.

Rachel needed to talk about this with someone.

The next day found Rachel having breakfast with Quinn and Brittany at the diner after Rachel had called them the night before.

Rachel is sitting playing with a coffee cup in her hands. She had asked her friends here early for a reason, but she isn't sure how to start the conversations. She sits there for another couple of minutes before she finally speaks up.

"Can I ask you guys something?"

"Sure."

"Doe any of your fathers ever get violent with your mothers?" Rachel asks.

"My dad doesn't really get angry. He gets annoyed sometimes, but he never gets angry."

"What about Russell?"

"Are you kidding? Even if my mom hasn't done anything wrong he'll try to find a way to blame her for something. He hits her all the time and there is nothing we can do about it."

"Has he ever hit you?" Rachel asks forgetting her original intentions now she was worried about her friend's wellbeing.

"A couple of times when I was younger, but I just try and stay out of his way now. Has your dad been hitting Shelby?" Quinn asks.

"I heard them arguing last night and then he hit her. I've never seen or heard anything before but maybe it's happened before. I have never notices any bruises before though."

"If it happens a lot she probably got used to covering them up, it's what my mom does."

"Quinn" Brittany berates.

"What? Rachel asked me a question so I was just being honest."

"Do you think it will happen to us?" Rachel asks.

"It might. We live in a time where men can pretty much do what they want" Quinn replied.

"Men are stupid."

"You got that right Britt" Quinn laughs.

Rachel misses the rest of her friend's conversation as she catches a glimpse of Santana out of the corner of her eye.

"Britt and I are going to catch a movie would you like to come? It might take your mind of things" Quinn offers tearing Rachel's attention away from the waitress.

"No thank you. I think I'll stay here for a bit longer."

"Okay, we'll see you later."

Quinn and Brittany slide out of the booth and leave the diner. Rachel sits there for another half an hour thinking about what she had talked about with her friends before she decides to leave.

She gets out of the booth and walks over to the door but as she goes to open it a hand appears and opens it for her. She turns around and finds Santana smiling at her.

"After you" Santana says gesturing with her hand.

"Thank you, Santana."

Rachel exits the diner with Santana following behind her.

"Are you okay?" Santana asks.

"I'm fine thank you."

"Are you sure? You don't seem okay. My mom always used to say that a problem shared is a problem halved. I'm willing to listen if you want to share."

"I couldn't burden you with my problems Santana."

"I am offering so you aren't burdening me at all. We can grab a coffee here or we can go somewhere quieter to talk" Santana says.

"The second option sounds nice."

"We can go back to my house. Rose and Artie are visiting family so we'd be alone."

"Okay."

They make small talk as they walk they short distant back to the place that Santana now calls home. When they arrive Santana opens the front door and leads Rachel into the living room.

"Can I get you anything, something to drink maybe?" Santana asks.

"I'll have a glass of water please. That always helps me feel better" Rachel replies.

"You can take a seat. I'll just be a minute."

Rachel enters the modest living room and sits down on the couch. She runs her hands over her cheerleading skirt, attempting to smooth it out.

When Santana enters the room, she places the glass on the coffee table and takes a seat on the couch. She props her feet on the coffee table, one over the other which causes Rachel to send her a strange look.

"You're peculiar aren't you?" Rachel says as she picks up the glass and takes a sip.

"What do you mean?"

"You just act differently and sometimes you talk differently to other people I know.  
Where are you from again?"

"I was born right here in Lima" Santana answers.

"Lima is a small town. How come I've never seen you around before?" Rachel asks as she puts the glass back on the coffee table making sure to put it on a coaster unlike Santana.

"I moved away but after my parents died I decided to come back and luckily for me Rose and Artie let me stay here. Enough about me, we're here to talk about you and your problems."

"It's a sensitive subject and it's not very orthodox for me to talk about it."

"You can trust me, I promise."

"I witness an altercation last night between my parents. An altercation of the physical variety"

"Your dad hit you mom?" Santana asks.

"To put it bluntly; yes."

"I'm assuming that this is the first time that this has happened."

"It's the first time I've witnessed it but I don't know if it has happened before. I tried to talk to Quinn and Brittany about it, but Brittany's father hasn't touched her mother and as for Quinn's father, she says he's always been a violent man" Rachel explains.

"He didn't hurt you did he?"

"No, they didn't know I was there."

"So are you just worried about your mother or are you now worried that Finn might do this to you?" Santana asks.

"Finn would never do anything like that."

"Who are you trying to convince? Me or yourself?"

"How do you know what I'm thinking? It's like you're in my head and it's very disconcerting" Rachel admits.

"I'm just good at reading people. So that's your main concern you think Finn could hurt you?"

"I'm still concerned for my mother, but yes that is another worry of mine. I never would have thought that Finn would be that type of man, but I also didn't think that my father would be capable of something like that either."

"If Finn really loves you he wouldn't lay a finger on you" Santana says and rest her hand on top of Rachel's for reassurance.

"I know that if I had a girl like you, I'd never let any harm come to you."

The sound of the front door opening gets Rachel's attention and she quickly pulls back her hand just as Rose and Artie enter the room.

"Hello Santana and who is this?"

"This is Rachel Berry. She goes to school with me" Artie says with a slight look of confusion as to why the cheerleader was in his house.

"It's lovely to meet you Rachel, I'm Rose. Would you like to stay for lunch?" Rose asks.

"I'm afraid I can't. I have somewhere I need to be, but thank you for the offer" Rachel replies quickly getting off the couch.

"Good bye Artie. I'll see you at school on Monday."

"I'll walk you out." Santana offers.

"No, it's okay. I can see myself out. Goodbye Santana."

"What was Rachel doing here?" Artie asks.

"She just wanted someone to talk to and I offered to listen but I think I might have fucked up" Santana says dropping back on the couch with her head in her hands.

"Why what did you do?" Artie ask.

"I kind of accidently outed myself to her. I said something and I couldn't gauge a reaction because you walked in. but you saw how quickly she wanted to get out of here. I'm worried that she'll tell people. You told me to hide my sexuality for a reason. I need to talk to her."

"What did you say to her?"

"Nothing."

"It must have been something" Artie says.

"It wasn't."

"Why are you avoiding the question?"

"Sometimes you really can be a pain in the ass. I said something that might have come across as me implicating that I wanted her to be my girl. You happy now?"

"Wait, do you like Rachel?" Artie asks.

"No" Santana says a little too quickly and not at all convincingly.

"You know you don't have to lie to me" Artie says.

"Okay fine, I'll admit that I like Rachel. It's not like it matters anyways. I just need to talk to her so I can explain to her before she says anything to anyone."


	6. Chapter 6

**A Matter Of Time**

**Chapter 6**

Another week had passed and Santana hadn't been able to talk to Rachel about what she had accidently let slip during their last conversation. It was strange Rachel was usually in the diner at least three or four times a week but for the past week there had been no sign of her.

She had seen Finn with the rest of the football players and she had even seen Quinn and Brittany a couple of times, but when she asked Quinn where Rachel was she simple replied, "At home."

So Santana had decided to wait until her shift was over and then she would go and search out Rachel. She only has about ten minutes to go and since she knew that Rachel would be still in school she was going to head there first.

Santana spends the next ten minutes clearing the last of the tables before grabbing her jacket and saying goodbye to Pete. She goes home to change first since there was no way in hell she was going anywhere outside of the diner wearing her uniform.

When she arrives at the high school she had no idea where to start looking for Rachel. She walks down the hallway and decides to ask a jock who is standing outside of his locker.

"Hey, do you know where Rachel Berry is?"

"She's probably out on the football field, that's usually where the cheerleaders practice. The  
name's Rick by the way and your name is?"

"None of your business but thanks for the help Rick" Santana replies before turning around and walking away.

As Santana walks past the football field she catches some of the attention of a couple of football players. She recognizes some of them that were at the diner with Finn, a couple of them even tried hitting on her.

She ignored them of course and instead entertained herself with the thought of how they would react if they knew she was actually attracted to their captain's girlfriend.

Speaking of Rachel, Santana instantly finds her in the group of cheerleaders at the far end of the field.

She takes a seat on the bleachers and watches the cheerleaders practice their routine. Cheerleading was definitely different in this time and it wasn't just the outfits.

When the cheerleading practice is over, Santana patiently waits for Rachel but Rachel walks straight past her.

"Rachel" Santana calls but Rachel carries on walking.

"Rachel!"

Santana picks up a little speed, managing to catch up to Rachel and walk alongside her.

"Hello Santana, what are you doing here?" Rachel asks

"I just wanted to talk to you. I haven't seen you around the diner much this week."

"I've been very busy this week and unfortunately I haven't been able to make it to the diner."

"Are you sure that you've not just been avoiding me?" Santana asks.

"Why would I avoid you Santana?"

"Because of what I said when we were talking last week."

"I'm sorry I don't know what you're talking about."

"Look, I'm sorry if I freaked you out but please can you keep it a secret?" Santana asks  
stopping in her tracks. Rachel stops too and turns around to face the other girl.

"I'm not the type of person to talk about other people's business so I can assure you Santana that I won't tell anyone about your sexuality."

"So you did know what I was talking about" Santana smirks which doesn't amuse Rachel.

"So I've finished work for today do you want to hang out or something? Unless you don't want to be my friend anymore" Santana nervously jokes.

"Of course I'm still your friend Santana."

"Do you want to go to that park I told you about last week?"

"Sure."

It felt strange being in this park again. It was the place that this all had started when she had woken up all those weeks ago. It was a peaceful place, it was filled with trees and had a children's playground at one side and a small pond at the other.

It was a shame to know that eventually an apartment block would replace it, a place that eventually became Santana's home.

They sit on a bench facing the pond in silence for a few minutes before Santana finally speaks up.

"So how are things at home?"

"Everything is fine thank you. My father hasn't touched my mother since the incident last  
week. My mom seems a little different though she seems more careful about what she  
says."

"Have you talked to her about it?" Santana asks.

"I couldn't do that, we don't talk about these things. I shouldn't have even confided in you."

"It helped though didn't it, to talk about it?"

"Yes it did. I'm sorry that I didn't get chance to thank you for our last talk."

"Don't worry about it. You know, I'm always here if you want to talk about things. It doesn't matter what it is, I'll listen" Santana say.

"Thank you Santana, that's very sweet of you."

"Do you want to talk about something now? What about you and Finn?"

"Finn and I are good. After what happened to my mother and I had my doubts about Finn, I just have to remember that I need to keep Finn happy and then that way I'll be happy."

"That's not how it works."

"Excuse me?" Rachel asks.

"You shouldn't have to compromise your happiness for Finn and he shouldn't let you."

"Santana we went over this the first time we met."

"Yes and I know that it's none of my business, but I've gotten to know you over these past few weeks and I see two different Rachel's. When you're with Finn, you're Rachel Berry future Mrs. Hudson destined to become a housewife but without Finn you're Rachel Berry, this amazing person that's outspoken and confidant."

"I'm not outspoken."

"You like to call me out on my shit all the time."

"It's different with you. There is just something about you that I just can't quite put my finger on just yet."

"Is that a bad thing?" Santana asks.

"I haven't decided yet."

Santana laughs at Rachel's answer. She likes how comfortable Rachel is around her, they had only met a couple of weeks ago but she can't help but feel like they have a connection.

She's never had a connection with anyone like this before and as clichéd as it sounds, it makes her feel warm inside.

She gets so lost in a conversation with Rachel that she forgets the time until the church bell rings.

"I have to go. I promised Rose that I would drive her to her doctor's appointment. Do you think we can do this again tomorrow, maybe for lunch?" Santana asks.

"I would love to have lunch with you tomorrow. I'll meet you here."

"Sounds good, can I walk you home?"

"It's okay, I think I'm going to stay here a little longer and then I'm going to meet Quinn and  
Brittany. Brittany loves to watch I Love Lucy" Rachel smiles.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

The next thing that Rachel does surprises Santana. She feels Rachel's arms wrap around her and pulls her into a hug.

"Goodbye Santana" Rachel says before pulling away.

Rachel watches as Santana leaves. She knows she probably shouldn't have hugged Santana but she feels closeness to the other girl and her body acted on instinct.

Santana had been correct in her assumption, Rachel had been avoiding her but not because of the reason Santana had suggested.

Rachel had no problem with Santana's sexuality, actually that was a lie. There was one little problem with Santana's sexuality and that was the fact that it stirred up those certain feelings in Rachel.

Rachel fought so hard to keep those feelings buried and it had worked but now Santana had come into her life and threatened to unleash those inner feelings. At first it was okay to admire Santana from afar since nothing could come of these feelings, but to learn that Santana was homosexual made things different.

That was the reason that she had avoided Santana. The more she was around the other girl the more she had that voice in her head, a voice that she tried ever so hard to ignore. The voice tells her that's she's not happy with Finn and she never will be. The voice also reminds her of what Santana had said that day.

"I know that if I had a girl like you."

What did that mean? Did it mean that Santana liked her?

Santana did seem to have a problem with her relationship with Finn and always pointed out the flaws whenever she got the chance, but did that mean she had feelings for her? And if she did, would it matter?

Santana's concern could have just been that of a friend, but Rachel can't be sure. She might have to investigate this further tomorrow when she meets Santana for lunch.

* * *

Santana is sat there waiting on the same bench when Rachel arrives at the park.

"Hey, I thought that maybe we could get something to eat from the deli across the road" Santana suggests.

"That sounds wonderful Santana."

Santana was actually excited to go to the deli because it was one of the places that had stayed the same in both times. She practically lived off eating from there after her parents died and she couldn't be bothered to cook. So it would be nice to have a little bit of her old life here in nineteen fifty six.

Once they get their food from the deli, they make their way back to the park and take a seat on the bench across from the pond.

"So Santana what makes you tick?" Rachel asks.

"I don't know."

"You must have something you enjoy. What about reading, movies or maybe music?"

"I like music. I was in the glee club at school until I quit when my parents died."

"How old where you when your parents died, If you don't mind me asking?"

"You can ask me whatever you want. I was in my last year of high school, so it was just over a year ago. I was sitting in class when a teacher came in and asked to talk to me. She took me somewhere private and told me that my parents were in an accident. I ran out of school and made my way to the hospital but by the time I made it there it was too late."

"What happened to you afterwards?" Rachel asks.

"I went home. I sat there in that big empty house and I'd never felt so alone. I couldn't stand living there so I got a cheap apartment whilst the sale of the house went through. I stopped caring about things, my school work and my friends. I kind of went into a downwards spiral. I barely passed high school but managed to get a job at a bar. My parent's inheritance came through eventually so I was able to get by" Santana explains.

"What about your family?"

"I didn't have any except for my grandmother, but she disowned me when I told her that I was gay. She was such a big part of my life but after I told her that she didn't want to see me again, even after my parents died and I was all alone."

"Do you often have problems regarding your sexuality?"

"It's not like I walk around shouting about it or anything and I'm not ashamed of who I am, but Artie warned me what the people are like here so I'm trying to keep it quiet."

"Did your parents know?" Rachel asks.

"Yeah they did. They were pretty cool about the whole thing actually. I think it took them a while to fully get used to the idea but they never let it show, they didn't treat me any differently. I was lucky to have parents like them but I'm glad they're not here now to see how fucked up my life is."

"Don't say that, I'm sure they are proud of you no matter what."

"I'm nineteen, living in a friend's house and working at a diner. They thought I was going to go to college and make something of myself not living how I'm living barely making ends meet."

"Did you want to go to college?"

"I don't know, I didn't really get chance to think about it so I didn't apply anywhere" Santana says.

"What about now, it's not too late you know."

"I've never really thought about it."

"You don't think about a lot of things do you?" Rachel jokes.

"I didn't, but some things have happened recently that make me want to revaluate my life. As I said I've never thought about going to college before but maybe that would be a good choice for me."

"If you did go to college, what would you study?"

"I kind of like the idea of going into law. I thought about it a little bit after my parents died. The drunk driver that crashed into them was arrested and sent to jail but he deserved a longer sentence than he got for killing my parents. I want to help people in similar situations to me get the proper justice."

"That's a noble but bold career choice Santana. There aren't many women lawyers, maybe you could be a pioneer." Santana says.

"How about we make a deal? I'll go college to study law if you apply to a college in New York, so you can follow your Broadway dreams."

"You know that isn't possible" Rachel sighs.

"So you're going to follow Finn."

"That's how things work Santana. It's how society works."

"Fuck society" Santana growls.

"I'm sorry. I just want you to know that Finn isn't your only option. If you love him and you're happy to become his housewife, then that's your decision, but if you don't love him just remember there are other people out there. Not everyone will hold you back from your dreams."

Rachel isn't sure what possesses her in that moment but she leans over and plants her lips firmly against Santana's. It's chaste and it only last for a couple of seconds before Rachel pulls back. She quickly looks around the park whist Santana still has her eyes closed to check that no one had seen them and luckily there is no one in sight.

"You're a really good friend Santana" Rachel finally says before she carries on eating her lunch.

They carry on eating and talking until Rachel has to leave to go back to school leaving Santana alone in the park with nothing but her thoughts for company.

She's obsessing and she knows she is but is it any wonder Rachel kissed her and then called her a really good friend. She knows that it wasn't a friendly kiss, friends don't kiss each other like that well not in Santana's experience anyway.

It was only chaste but Santana felt something in those few seconds that their lips touched and Santana knows that Rachel felt something too. So Rachel's reaction confused Santana, she was quick to brush the kiss off as friendly and then just acted like it never happened.

Who knew that girls in nineteen fifty six were just as complicated as girls in two thousand and thirteen?


	7. Chapter 7

**A Matter Of Time**

**Chapter 7**

Santana was lying on Artie's bed as he sat at his desk working on the time machine. She was still confused with what had happened with Rachel at the park the other day and she needed someone else's opinion.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure" Artie replies not taking his eyes off the small gadget he was working on.

"What do you make of a girl kissing you and then telling you that you're a really good friend?"

"Why? Who have you been kissing?" Artie asks, turning around to face Santana.

"It's hypothetical."

"Okay, so hypothetically, who have you been kissing?"

"You are no help at all."

"I'm sorry, but I have no experience in this department."

"What do you mean?" Santana asks sitting up.

"I don't know if you've noticed but I don't really have girls hanging all over me. I've never even had a girlfriend before."

"What about Emily at the diner? I see you checking her out."

"No, I don't" Artie replies, but the blush on his cheeks say otherwise.

"Yes you do. Why don't you ask her out?"

"Maybe it's because I'm terrified of rejection."

"How about since you've helped me out, I'll help you out?" Santana suggests.

"How are you going to help me?"

"Do you like Emily?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll help you get her" Santana says as if it's that simple.

"Thanks Santana, but don't think you're getting away that easy. Who have you been kissing?"

"Just fix the damn time machine" Santana says, throwing a cushion in Artie's direction.

* * *

When Rachel enters the diner she finds Santana leaning against the counter her eyes  
fixated on something across the room.

"Good afternoon Santana, may I ask what you are doing?"

"I'm watching Artie. He's trying to ask out Emily, but I think he's struggling" Santana replies,  
not taking her eyes of her friend.

"Why are you so interested in Artie's love life?"

"I told him that I would help him out because he was nervous about asking her out on a date."

"That's very sweet of you Santana."

"Uh oh, he looks like he's getting uncomfortable. I better intervene before he makes a fool of himself. Excuse me a minute."

Santana nonchalantly makes her way over to the table that Artie is sitting at, trying to act as normal as possible.

"Emily, we need some napkins from the back. Could you get them for me?" Santana asks.

"Sure thing San" Emily replies.

"So how are things going?" Santana asks as soon as Emily is out of ear shot.

"Terrible. We talked and I really like her, but I'm not sure how to ask her."

"Just ask her to a movie or something you feel comfortable with."

"I'm not comfortable that's the problem" Artie admits.

"Okay I have an idea" Santana says as she sees Emily approaching.

"I'm sorry but I can't" Santana speaks loudly.

"What's up?" Emily asks.

"Artie was telling me about the movie Forbidden Planet and he asked me if I wanted to go and watch it on Friday but I can't" Santana explains.

"Forbidden Planet isn't that with Walter Pidgeon? I love him."

"Maybe you should go instead" Santana suggests as she sends Artie a look.

"Would you like to come and see the movie with me?" Artie asks.

"Sure, you check the movie times and get back to me. You know where to find me" Emily says before getting back to work.

"See? I told you. All you had to do was ask her. You're a cool guy Artie and once you see that, you'll have a lot more confidence in yourself."

"Thanks Santana."

"I should get back to work, but I'm glad things worked out for you Artie."

"Sorry about that" Santana apologizes as she makes her way back over to Rachel.

"It is not a problem Santana. So how did things go?"

"Great, he's going to the movies with her on Friday night. He still might need help though. Do you want to go and watch Forbidden Planet on Friday and help me spy on Artie's date."

"Are you really going to do that?" Rachel asks.

"Yes. I think he might feel more comfortable if I'm there."

"You and Artie are really close aren't you?"

"He's my best friend. Actually he's more like the little brother I never had. So are you in?"

"Okay then, I'll come with you to the movies on Friday night" Rachel beams.

"So, can I get you something?" Santana asks.

"No thank you. I'm just waiting for Finn."

As if on cue Finn enters the diner and walks over to where Rachel is standing.

"Hey Rach" Finn greets and kisses his girlfriend.

"Hello, honey."

"I'll have a burger and a coke, as fast as you can" Finn says to Santana.

"Finn, don't be rude."

"What? She works here right? Anyway forget about her, I have some good news. Let's sit down."

Finn grabs his girlfriend's hand and drags her towards a table. He takes off his jacket and takes a seat as Rachel follows his actions.

"Coach told me that a recruiter from Ohio State will be at the game on Friday. It's the second time he'll attend a game so that could be a good sign" Finn explains.

"I'm proud of you sweetie" Rachel says getting into her good girlfriend role.

"I just hope he offers me a scholarship sooner rather than later so then I know that our future is secured."

"Even if you do receive your scholarship, it doesn't mean our future is secured. We still have to wait a couple more weeks until I find out if I've been accepted to Ohio State too" Rachel says.

"Does it really matter if you're accepted or not? Our parents have already offered to support us for a while if you wanted to stay at home. It would mean we can start a family sooner too. That's what you want right? You want to start a family with me?"

"Of course that's what I want. You know I can't wait to become Mrs. Finn Hudson" Rachel replies and moves her hand on top of Finn's, reassuringly running her thumb over the back of it.

"So I thought that after the game you and I can celebrate with dinner."

"How do you know that you'll be celebrating?" Rachel asks.

"The Titans have me as their quarterback of course we'll be celebrating and I'm going to celebrate by taking my future wife out to dinner."

Finn sends Rachel a smile before leaning over the table and kissing her soundly on the lips.

"Sorry to interrupt" Santana says as she arrives at the table with Finn's food.

Rachel and Finn pull apart so Santana can place the plate and cup on the table.

"Is there anything else I can get for you?" Santana asks.

"We're fine. Thank you Santana" Rachel answers for Finn who was too busy eating his burger to reply.

Santana leaves the couple alone and makes her way over to Artie who was flicking through a newspaper.

"Forbidden Planet is on at eight on Friday, so I just need to tell Emily" Artie explains.

"Are you nervous?" Santana asks.

"I think I might need a stronger word than that. I think absolutely petrified might cover it."

"I know it might seem scary but dating is supposed to be fun. You're going to have to relax because if you don't you'll cause a tension and then you'll make things awkward and that's never good. Once the first date is over it will get easier."

"You think she'll want to go out with me again."

"If you show her the Artie I know then I know she'll want to see you again. I can always come with you, you know. I'll just park the car at the other side of the drive-in somewhere out of sight, but somewhere I can see you" Santana offers.

"Okay that sounds good. Thanks Santana."

Santana clears away a few more tables and as she comes out of the kitchen she notices Finn getting up and leaving the table. As he heads towards the restrooms she takes this as a chance to talk to Rachel again so she approaches the table.

"Hey Rachel. Is eight o'clock okay for the movie on Friday night?" Santana asks.

"I'm sorry Santana. I can't see the movie with you. I'm cheering at the football game and then Finn is taking me out to dinner."

"It's okay, don't worry about it. Hopefully Artie will have other dates with Emily we can crash" Santana jokes.

"I really am sorry Santana."

"Come on Rachel, let's go" Finn says as he returns to the table and grabs his varsity jacket.  
Rachel looks as if she's about to object but thinks against it. Finn throws a few dollar bills on the table and grabs Rachel's hand, guiding her towards the door.

"Asshole" Santana mumbles under her breath.

* * *

Rachel cheers as Finn scores another touchdown. She turns her head towards the crowd and finds the recruiter from Ohio State. Finn had pointed him out to her before the game and with his receding hair line and spectacles he stuck out amongst the crowd of high school students.

He was smiling and nodding his head as he scribbled something down on his notepad. Rachel hopes that's a good sign. The crowd cheers again pulling Rachel's attention back towards the game, Finn was playing well and she hopes that her boyfriend has done enough.

After the game Rachel waits for Finn with his mother, Carole. Rachel really liked Finn's mother, she was a kind and caring woman who had lost her husband during the Second World War.

When Finn approaches them he has a huge smile on his face, clearly happy with the way he had played in the game.

"You played great honey. I'm so proud of you" Carole beams and pulls her son into a hug.

"Thanks Mom."

"Have you seen the recruiter yet?" Rachel asks.

"No not yet. I think he's still here though."

"Isn't that him talking to Coach?"

"Yeah it is. I think he's looking for me" Finn says.

"I think you're right. He's coming over" Carole points out as the tall, balding man approaches them.

"Finn Hudson?"

"That's me" Finn replies holding out a hand for the man to shake.

"I'm Karl Morgan. I'm a recruiter for Ohio State."

"It's nice to meet you sir. This is my mother Carole and my girlfriend Rachel."

"It's a pleasure to meet you both. I just wanted to let you know that I thought you had a great game son. Keep it up and you might be hearing from us" Karl says.

"Thank you Sir."

Finn shakes Karl's hand again before the recruiter leaves. He turns to face his mother and girlfriend who surround him in a hug.

"We're so proud of you" Rachel says.

"Thanks. Are you ready to go eat? I told you we'd be celebrating" Finn smiles.

"Yes I'm ready. Where are we going?" Rachel asks.

"It's a surprise."

"Okay well you kids have fun. I'll see you soon Rachel."

"Goodbye Mrs. Hudson" Rachel says.

Finn takes her to a small, intimate restaurant just on the outskirts of Lima and it has Rachel impressed. He acts gentlemanly and pulls out her chair for her before taking his own seat and Rachel decides she likes this side of Finn.

He's being caring and attentive. Rachel even notices a woman sat across from them sending a look of jealously since her husband was ignoring her.

Rachel has a look through the menu and a couple of minutes later a waiter arrives at their table.

"Are you ready to order?" he asks.

"Yes we are."

"Finn, I haven't decided yet" Rachel says.

"We'll take two steaks" Finn tells the waiter, ignoring Rachel.

"Finn, I don't want a steak. I'm a vegetarian."

"No, you're not."

"Yes I am. I told you a couple of weeks ago after I read that book about animal cruelty that I was going to live a vegetarian lifestyle. So is it okay to have a few more minutes?" Rachel asks the waiter.

"No" Finn interjects. "We'll take two steaks."

He takes the menu out of Rachel's hands and gives it to the waiter with his own.

"You need to forget about that silly idea."

"It isn't a silly idea Finn, it's a lifestyle choice."

"I don't care what the hell it is, it stops now. No wife of mine is going to be a vegetarian, imagine we have guest over for dinner and you just serve them vegetables" Finn scoffs.

"I wouldn't stop cooking meat for you and any guests you invite over. I just wouldn't consume any."

"I don't care, you're not being a vegetarian and that's the end of this conversation. You're lucky I ignore the fact you tried to undermined me in front of the waiter. Next time might be different" Finn says in a low tone.

It's funny how one word can stir up certain emotions in a person, but when Rachel heard the word 'undermined' it took her back to the night she heard her father hit her mother. She had buried the fear that Finn could be violent towards her, but with him saying something like that the fear came rushing back.

She wants to argue back and tell him that she can make her own decisions but she knows she won't or to be more specific she knows she can't. She'll have to hold her t***. It's just something she'll have to learn to get used to. She should have known that an attentive Finn was too good to be true.

"So the recruiter for Ohio State sounded positive" Finn says as if nothing had happened.

"Yes he did. I was watching him during the game and he seemed happy with the way you played."

"I think I'll be hearing from him soon. There is no way he can't not offer me a scholarship after that performance."

"You played great honey" Rachel smiles.

Rachel sits there and listens to Finn talk about himself for half an hour whilst she tries her best to eat around the meat on her plate without Finn noticing. Luckily Finn doesn't take much notice of her so she's able to push the food around on her plate so it look like she's eaten more than she has.

"What are we going to do now?" Rachel asks.

"I'm taking you home. I told the guys I'll meet them at the diner afterwards so we can hang out."

"I can't come?" Rachel questions.

"It's guy time Rachel. I just took you out to dinner and I'm entitled to spend some time without you."

Rachel didn't think she was being unreasonable, Finn had only spent two hours with her at the most. It was the first time she'd seen him properly today since he spent the day preparing for the game. He had spent most of that time with his teammates yet he wanted to ditch Rachel to spend even more time with them.

At least there was one person that wanted to spend time with Rachel. She wonders if it's too late for her to go to the movies and look for Santana, but instantly dismisses the idea since she isn't sure which theatre or drive in Santana would be at. She'll just have to settle for spending the rest of the evening alone.


	8. Chapter 8

**A Matter Of Time**

**Chapter 8**

Finn throws the football towards Sam who is standing across the hallway waiting for the ball. He has been hanging outside of his locker with some of his friends from the football team waiting for the coach to call them for practice.

"Watch yourselves guys. Here comes Hummel" David says as Kurt approaches the group.

"Please leave me alone. I'm just trying to get to the bathroom" Kurt begs.

"Well you're going the wrong way. The girls bathroom is that way" Finn replies, pointing in the opposite direction.

Kurt tries to ignore the football players and attempts to walk past them, but as he does David sticks out a foot causing Kurt to trip over. As Kurt falls towards the floor he puts his hands out to brace himself, dropping his books in the process.

Rachel turns the corner of the hallway just in time to see Kurt land on the floor.

"Finn, what are you doing?" Rachel asks as she approaches the group.

She sees Kurt on the floor surrounded by the group of laughing jocks and goes to help him up.

"Thank you" Kurt whispers as she hands him some of his books.

Kurt doesn't decide to stay any longer as soon as he had all his belongings he gets away from the jocks as fast as possible ignoring the taunts being shouted by the jocks as he leaves.

"Finn, that was highly uncalled for and I think Kurt deserves an apology."

Finn grabs hold of Rachel's wrist and pulls her into an empty class room. He wasn't going to let his girlfriend embarrass him in front of his friends.

"Finn please let go, you're hurting me" Rachel begs.

"I didn't want you to cause a scene in front of my friends."

"What you were doing was wrong. Kurt hasn't done anything to you."

"We were just playing around. It was just a joke."

"It's not funny Finn, it is mean and not to mention the words you were using. Your actions were just deplorable" Rachel says.

"You're making this into a big deal when it's not. Come on Rachel you need to lighten up."

"It is a big deal Finn and I can't believe you think I would ignore something like this. Do you even know me at all?"

"Of course I know you, you're my girlfriend."

"Not anymore."

"What?"

"I can't do this anymore Finn. You have a bad attitude towards other people including me" Rachel explains.

"I love you, you know that."

"You might say you love me but you don't show it. I'm sorry Finn, our relationship is over."

Rachel doesn't look back as she walks past Finn to the classroom door, her hands slightly shaking as she reaches for the door knob. She lets out a deep breath as she steps into the hallway, closing the door behind her.

Rachel is glad that it was the end of the school day because she doesn't want to run into Finn again. She just had to get away from him because she wasn't sure how he was going to react and she isn't ready to deal with it just yet. It's hard to comprehend that she has just ended her two year relationship with the boy she thought she was going to marry.

* * *

Santana is just finishing her shift at the diner when she notices Rachel sat alone in a booth. She hadn't seen Rachel in a few days so she makes her way over to her.

"Hello Santana" Rachel greets.

"Hey. Can I get you a banana and strawberry smoothie?" Santana asks.

"How did you know that's what I wanted?"

"It's your favorite right? You always order it when you come in."

"Yes it is, thank you Santana"

"Are you okay?" Santana asks.

"Not really. Finn and I broke up. He and his imbecilic friends were being malicious and making unacceptable comments and he and I fought about it."

"What did they say?"

"They were saying rude things about Kurt. One of his friends even tripped him over and I had to help him up. I told Finn that he needed to apologize to Kurt but he wouldn't."

"I have just finished my shift and I have nothing to do so how about I make that smoothie to go and you and I can go to the drive-in to take your mind off things?" Santana asks.

"That sounds wonderful, thank you Santana"

"Just give me a couple of minutes to get your smoothie and then we can go" Santana says before heading into the kitchen.

She returns a couple of minutes later with two smoothies and a brown paper bag.

"We'll have to walk to my house and borrow Rose's car plus I can get changed out of this nightmare" Santana says referring to her uniform as she holds the door open for Rachel as they leave the diner.

"Do you want to go to and see Forbidden Planet since you missed it last week?" Santana asks as they walk down the street.

"Haven't you already seen it?"

"I left about fifteen minutes in, once Artie seemed okay there wasn't any reason for me to stay."

"So Artie's date was successful?" Rachel asks.

"Yeah, he was all bashful when he came home, but he did tell me he managed to get a second date so I'm happy for him."

"So have you thought anymore about going to college to study law?" Rachel asks.

"I talked to Rose about it. She said she would help me out money wise, but I don't think I could take any more from her. She's already done far too much for me. What about you, are you any closer to that Broadway dream of yours?"

"I told you Santana that the colleges I applied for depended on where Finn gets accepted. So if I get in, I think Ohio State is most likely. "

"You and Finn broke up remember, but regardless of what happens with you two, I think you should apply to a college in New York just in case."

"I'll think about it but that will mean you have to apply too if you want to honor our deal."

"I'll accept the deal if you will" Santana says holding out her hand for Rachel to shake so she can confirm their deal.

Rachel looks at the hand for a couple of seconds before deciding to indulge Santana and shaking her hand.

It doesn't take long for them to reach where Santana calls home. Santana leads Rachel into the living room and offers her a seat whilst she gets changed and a few minutes later she's ready to go.

As they make their way o Rose's car Rachel can't help but admire how chivalrous Santana was being, it had been a long time since Finn had opened a car door for her.

They sit in silence for the first ten minutes of the movie until Santana finally decides to speak up.

"Are you hungry because I grabbed some things from the diner before I left? Don't worry it's vegetarian. It's some type of salad Pete made for me, is it weird to eat salad in a drive-in? Do you want me to get you something from the concession stands?" Santana asks.

She's rambling and she never usually rambles. There is just something about Rachel that makes her head go all fuzzy.

"I'm okay for now Santana but thank you for the offer" Rachel replies.

Rachel takes a sip of her smoothie but as she releases the straw from her lips some escapes onto her chin. Santana leans in and wipes away the escaping liquid with her thumb.

Santana can't help but notice how close they are and she can feel Rachel's soft skin beneath her thumb.

Santana can't help herself as she leans further in and presses a kiss against Rachel's lips. It takes her a few seconds for her to realize what she's doing and pulls away.

"Shit. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. Please ignore it and let's continue watching the movie" Santana says.

"Okay."

It's the only response Rachel can think of after having Santana's lips against her own. She had kissed Santana before and brushed it off a friendly, but Santana didn't. She knows that Santana didn't mean it in a friendly way. She could tell just by those few seconds their lips came together.

She tries to push her thoughts to the back of her mind so she can concentrate on the movie instead, but having Santana so close to her was making it difficult to concentrate on anything else except the girl sitting next to her.

Once the movie finishes, Santana drives Rachel home. They don't really talk on the drive back and when Santana pulls the car up outside of Rachel's house and they sit there in silence for a few minutes.

"My parents are away for the week. Do you want to come in?" Rachel asks.

"Are you sure?"

"I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't" Rachel replies.

Rachel unbuckles her seatbelt and exits the car, prompting Santana to do the same. She follows Rachel into her house and up to her bedroom.

"So what do you want to do?" Santana asks.

Rachel had had the rest of the movie to figure out what she wanted to do after Santana had kissed her and after thinking it over for a while she had come to a decision and answers Santana's question with a kiss.

Rachel feels a surge of confidence and slips her tongue in Santana's mouth. At the same time she relieves Santana of her jacket and drops it on the floor by their feet. She feels Santana's firm hands on her hips as she pulls her close against her body.

Rachel still doesn't feel close enough so she takes her arms and wraps them around Santana's neck. They pull back to catch their breaths, it's only last for a couple of seconds before their lips are fused together again.

The confidence in Rachel rises again as she pulls Santana towards the bed. The back of her knees collide with the frame causing her to fall onto the mattress, pulling Santana on top of her.

Santana looks at the girl below her, her chest is quickly rising and falling as she tries to catch her breath.

"You need to tell me if you want to stop" Santana says.

"I don't want to stop."

The confidence in Rachel's voice even surprises herself.

"Are you sure?" Santana asks.

"Yes."

It's the only word Santana needs to hear before she continues her assault on Rachel's lips. She isn't sure how far Rachel will want to go so she'll let Rachel dictate her.

"You're in control" Santana whispers into her ear before she places gentle kisses down Rachel's neck.

Santana slowly moves her hands up to Rachel's shirt and lets her fingers linger on the buttons, silently asking for permission. Santana wanted to go at Rachel's pace but she knew she would have to guide the inexperienced girl below her.

She wants to takes things slow, she knows that this is a new experience for Rachel and she wants to make it as comfortable and as special as she possibly can. It was a new concept for Santana to take things slow, she usually just found a girl and got what she needed but things were different with Rachel.

Rachel doesn't show any resistance as Santana removes her shirt, revealing the smooth skin beneath. She discards the shirt to the floor before reassuringly kissing Rachel's lips again.

She removes her own t-shirt and throws it onto the pile of clothes congregating on the floor. It wasn't just the fact that it was Rachel's first time that she wanted to take things slow. She wanted to savor every moment, every touch and every kiss as she worshiped the body beneath her. She starts by trailing her lips down Rachel's neck, lavishing the skins she finds there.

Santana is surprised when she feels Rachel's hands move down to her belt and she starts to unbuckle it. Santana moves her hands down to her own belt buckle and cups Rachel's hands with her own and threads their fingers together.

"Are you sure? There's no going back after this" Santana says before kissing a small bruise on Rachel's wrist.

"I'm sure. I want this, I want you." Rachel replies before pulling Santana back in for a kiss.

It makes Santana's heart swell to know that Rachel trusts her enough and cares so much about her that she is willing to share this precious moment with her. She wants to repay that trust and show Rachel that she cares for her too.

* * *

When Santana wakes up the next morning she finds that she's alone in Rachel's bed. She takes a quick look at the clock and notices that it's nearly half past ten, noting that Rachel will be at school now.

She dresses in her clothes that had been scattered around the room last night and slips out of Rachel's house and into Rose's car.

Santana quietly makes her way into the house hoping that Rose doesn't catch her sneaking in at this time in the morning. She decides she'll take a quick shower and then go to the high school and meet Rachel for lunch.

When she arrives at the high school she head straight to Rachel's locker. The hallways were pretty quiet so she's surprised to find Rachel standing there putting some books in her locker.

"Hey, you were gone when I woke up this morning" Santana says.

She goes to kiss Rachel but Rachel takes a step back.

"What's wrong?"

"Finn and I got back together this morning, he apologized to me and to Kurt for the silly comments he made and I forgave him" Rachel replies.

"I thought after last night you and I were…"

"I'm sorry Santana. I have to go, Finn is waiting for me" Rachel says as she attempts to leave, but Santana gently grabs her arm.

"You don't love Finn. You're with him because it's convenient but you and I are different, you don't just like me because I'm convenient. I know you want to be with me and last night you showed me how much you wanted me. You need to look deep down and ask yourself why you gave yourself to me and not Finn. You need to stop being scared and go for what you really want, whether that's Finn, New York or even me. I'll be waiting and in that time I'm not gonna give up on you. You're too special to just give up on."

Santana finally releases Rachel's arm and walks out of the school.


	9. Chapter 9

**A Matter Of Time**

**Chapter 9**

Rachel watches as Santana walks down the corridor, every single step she takes further away from her is another painful stab into Rachel's heart.

She makes her way to the girl's bathroom which is thankfully empty and locks herself in a stall. She puts down the toilet seat, sits down and cries.

Santana was right she did want her and she wanted to be with her, but Rachel learned a long time ago that it doesn't matter what she wants.

When she arrived at school she found Finn standing outside of her locker holding a bunch of flowers. He apologized to her and said that he would also apologize to Kurt. He also promised that he would pay more attention to how she feels and that he would do anything to make her happy.

It was easy. It was easy to go back to Finn and keep up the lie she has been living because being in a loveless relationship is the easier option and Rachel is scared.

She had been scared of those feelings since she started having them around two years ago and since then she had tried everything to keep them buried. Then Santana appeared and she grew feelings towards the other girl which resulted in her acting on those feelings.

She panicked. Last night she had all of this confidence, but when she woke up the next morning beside a naked Santana, all of that confidence went away and was replaced with fear. Her mind went into overdrive as the magnitude of what she had done hit her.

Those feelings she had, the ones she tried ever so hard to repress had taken over her. It was like she was no longer in control. She had broken up with Finn because he was being inconsiderate and then she came across Santana who was kind and caring, who offered to take her out because just she was upset.

Santana treated her like she was someone special. She listened to her and it was like the Rachel she was pretending to be had gone and the Rachel who had those repressed feelings appeared and took control.

Santana, who took a precious moment in Rachel's life and made it special. She worshiped her during it; she was gentle and even kissed the bruise that Finn had left on her wrist. The bruise that still marred her skin; it was a glimpse into the future if she ever disobeyed Finn again.

Last night, it was like she was fully consumed by those feelings and nothing else mattered. To some people she had done an ultimate sin, she had given herself to another girl and not just mentally but physically. That's how some people would see it; as a sin and those who aren't religious would still see it as a huge taboo.

Those feelings weren't normal and to act on them was even worse. What would her parents think if they knew what she had done? They would disown her, she would become a pariah. She would lose everything. There was a reason why people kept these feelings quiet. She had heard the way people spoke about homosexuals. She had even witnessed Kurt being bullied just because the jocks assumed he was gay.

She had even seen in the news that people had been killed because of their sexuality. People were being killed because of who they fell in love with. It was the stupidest thing Rachel had ever heard, but it happens and this is why Rachel was terrified of starting something with Santana.

She isn't strong enough to live with the consequences of her actions last night, so that's why when she found Finn standing outside his locker with that goofy grin on his face she had no hesitation taking him back.

It was the easy option.

* * *

Santana had given Rachel some time to think about everything that had happened between them. She wanted to talk to Rachel properly, but she thought she would have a better chance if she left the other girl alone for a few days.

Santana thought about going to the school but she decided against it as she wanted somewhere more private to talk and she knew that Rachel would be more likely to talk if it was just the two of them.

She stares at the familiar door for a few minutes. She has a flashback of her returning home from school, opening the door and being greeted by her mother. Maribel used to work early in the morning so she could be home just before Santana finished school since she said she never wanted Santana to come home to an empty house.

Santana takes a deep breath and rings the doorbell. A few minutes later a surprised Rachel answers the door.

"Santana, you can't be here."

"I told you I wouldn't give up. I just want to talk to you. Please just give me a few minutes."

"My mother is here" Rachel says.

"We can talk in your bedroom."

"I don't think that's a good idea Santana."

"Please. I'm not going to try anything. I told you, I just want to talk" Santana pleads.

"Okay, we can talk" Rachel says stepping to the side and opening the door for Santana.

Santana steps into the house and makes her way upstairs to Rachel's room. She knows the way; she lived in this house for eighteen years of her life. When Santana steps into Rachel's room she sees it properly for the first time. The last time she was in here it was dark and Santana was a little distracted.

Rachel's room is Santana's old room. She even had the bed in the same place Santana used to have hers. Above the bed there is a gold star painted in between the letters R and B.

She remembers decorating her room when she was twelve. She stripped the wallpaper to find the same thing painted on the wall and she always wondered who this RB was.

It's strange to think that that even though they hadn't met until a few months ago she has all of these connections with Rachel.

"What did you want to talk about?" Rachel asks as she enters the room.

"Us" Santana replies taking a seat on the bed.

Rachel keeps her distance and leans against her dressing table.

"There isn't an us" Rachel says.

"There can be" Santana replies.

"You're delusional Santana. We can never be together; the other night was a mistake. It was an error in my judgment."

"You can say all of this bullshit about us never being together, but don't say that night was a mistake. We both know it wasn't a mistake. I bet it was first time you've ever done something you truly wanted to do and not only that, I bet it was the only time you truly felt like yourself."

"Please don't do this to me Santana" Rachel begs.

"I understand that you're scared. I've been there and it took me a while to deal with it."

"Have you ever had your whole future planned out by everyone but yourself?"

"No but - "

"Then you have no idea what I'm going through. I'm being pressured by Finn and my parents all of the time. Do you know how hard it was just to get them to allow me to go to college? They just wanted me to be a housewife like my mom, but I can't live that life so I had to compromise. I get to go to college, but when I turn twenty five I'm expected to marry Finn and then have his children. I get seven years before I have to become a stay at home wife and then that's my life."

"I told you that there are other options. If not me then there are other people out there" Santana says.

"A different person will still lead to the same outcome. I don't know where you used to live Santana but that's how it works here."

"What about Quinn and Brittany?"

"What about them?" Rachel asks.

"They're together right? If they can do it then why can't we?"

"They never speak of their relationship, but Quinn has a boyfriend called Brian. Brain will attend the University of Virginia next year and Quinn will move to Virginia with him. She'll never see Brittany again and eventually she'll marry Brain and have children. I told you Santana it's the way things work."

"I wouldn't do that to you. I'll take you to New York. You can be on Broadway and we can be happy together."

"If only it was that simple Santana" Rachel sighs.

"It is that simple."

"What would my parents say if I told them that I wasn't going to marry Finn and instead I was going to run off with another woman to New York? They would never talk to me again and I'm not ready for that. I'm not ready for the consequences that come with starting a relationship with you."

"Will you ever be ready?" Santana asks.

"That's a heavy question Santana and I'm afraid I don't have an answer for it right now."

"So I'll continue to wait until you have an answer. I stand by my words Rachel. I will never give up on you."

"It would be so much easier if you did."

"What can I say? I like doing things the hard way" Santana says attempting a smile.

"I hope you'll excuse my bad manners Santana, but you may see yourself out."

"I mean it, I won't give up."

"Goodbye Santana"

As soon as Santana leaves closing the door behind her, Rachel collapses on the bed and cries.

* * *

When Santana enters her house she finds Artie sitting in the living room.

"Hey Santana, I have something to show you."

"What is it?" Santana asks.

"Come into my room" Artie replies as he wheels himself down the hallway.

Santana follows Artie into his bedroom and watches as he makes his way over to his desk pulling the time machine out of a drawer.

"Have you fixed it?"

"I still have a couple more calculations to make and I'm not one hundred percent sure it will work, but I'd say we're nearly there."

"How long do you think that will take you?" Santana asks.

"A couple of weeks maybe."

"So you're saying in a few more weeks I could be going home?"

"Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying" Artie replies.

He expects Santana to answer, but she stays quiet.

"I thought you would be happier about this."

"Yeah, so did I. Thanks Artie, I'll see you later" Santana says.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm just going for a walk. I'll be back soon."

Santana needed to clear her head. So many things had happened in the last week; she just needed time to process it all.

She finds herself sitting on the bench in the park, sitting across from the pond. The same bench she spent a lot of time with Rachel.

The past few weeks she had just run on auto-pilot. Her mind had just focused on working. It was like she forgot that this isn't her world. Her world was in two thousand and thirteen and she was supposed to get back there as soon as she could, but when Artie told her that in a few weeks she could go back to her old life she wasn't sure if that's what she wanted anymore.

In two thousand and thirteen she was lonely. She had no family or friends, no one to love, her but things were different here. She had a family in Rose and Artie, she had made friends with people at the diner including some students from McKinley including Quinn and Brittany.

Then there was Rachel. She hadn't felt this way about anybody before; she didn't think she would ever feel like this about anybody. When her parents died and she became a recluse, she built up these walls around herself.

She wouldn't let anyone get close to her. What was the point when everyone she ever cared for left her? Her parents were taken away from her and her Abuela had abandoned her when she told her that she was gay. Why would she let someone get close to her when in the end they would just leave her too?

That's why she never wanted a committed relationship, it was easier to distance herself and have one night stands instead of having a relationship. What was the point in setting herself up for heartbreak?

That's the way Santana had viewed things, but that was before Rachel. It was like Rachel had swung a large hammer against Santana's walls and slowly but surely she starting to break down the wall brick by brick.

Santana started to open up to Rachel, something she hadn't done since her parents death. It was easy to talk to Rachel, she felt relaxed around the other girl. She made Santana forget about her old crappy life and that's what Santana needed the most.

She needed a fresh start, to finally move past her parents death and to restart her life. Rachel had even gotten her thinking about the future, about college and making something of her life.

Santana thought she had found a friend in Rachel, but it turned out to be so much more.

She wanted Rachel and she knows it's selfish because before Santana came Rachel had a life, but the more she got to know the younger girl the more she could see that it wasn't the life Rachel wanted.

She would give everything to give Rachel the life she wanted, she just needed to convince Rachel of that.

At first it seemed simple to Santana. Finn didn't treat Rachel properly and that should be enough of a reason for Rachel to leave him, but Santana hadn't understood the magnitude of the situation properly. She had lived in this era for months but her mind still worked with a twenty first century outlook.

When she talked to Rachel things seemed clearer now she knew Rachel's fears.  
Her parents were full of phrases but there was one that always stuck with her. Everything happens for a reason. She always thought this was bullshit. How could there be a reason for the shitty things that happen in life. What was the reason for her parents dying and leaving her alone?

Now she sees things differently, maybe things do happen for a reason. What if it wasn't an accident that she was sent back in time? What if she was sent here for a reason? What if she was sent to save Rachel from the life that had been planned out for her?

That was a fuck load of what ifs.

One thing that Santana was sure about was that this experience has had a positive effect on her. She had finally allowed herself to open up to other people after over a year of keeping herself to herself.

She had even been thinking about her academic future. She had wanted to go to college, but when her parents died she let she dreams die with them. When she told Rachel about wanting to become a lawyer she thought the other girl would laugh but she didn't. She did the opposite, she encouraged Santana to go for what she wanted, a thought Santana found strange since Rachel wouldn't do the same herself.

Santana wondered what life was like back in two thousand and thirteen. She probably would have lost both her job and her apartment since she had been absent for months. She wouldn't have her old life there anymore but that wasn't a bad thing.

When Artie fixes the time machine she could go back to the twenty first century and start her life over. She could get a nicer apartment and apply to colleges. She still had her parent's inheritance to see her through for a few years. She could go back and start her life again and put all the drama with Rachel behind her.

Or she could stay. She could stay here and do like she promised and fight for Rachel.  
What was the point of going back to the twenty first century when there were people she cared about here? She wasn't sure how this would affect things, she had heard that if you go back in time that you can change certain events and that thought was a little scary.

She didn't want to over think it too much just the thought of time travel already fuck with her head. All she knew was that she had a choice to make; leave and forget about Rachel or stay and fight for her.

* * *

_A/N Sorry for the delay, hopefully I'll get back to posting every week but if not check my profile for updates._


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